Improvement in cotton-seed and corn-planters



@anni tfno..

ISAAC A. TOWERS,'OF QU'INCY, FLORIDA.

l Letters Patent No. 110,311, dated December 20, 187i).

IMPROVEMENT N coTfoN-SEED AND CORN-PLANTERS.

The Schedule refen'ed'to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC A. Townns, of Quincy, in 'the county of Gadsden a-nd Stateof Florida, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Combined Cotton-seed and Corn-Planter; and I do hereby declare thatv the .following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being Ihad to the accom anvimr drawinnr formilnr 'art of this v b b D specification. Figure lis a side view of my improved machine, partly-in section, to show the construction.

Figure 2 is-a top view of the same, the hopper and stirrer being removed. Y

Figure 3 is a detail-plan view-of the stirrer or rake.`

Figure 4 is a section of the detachablebrush;

Figures 5 andv (il are detail sectional views of the cylindeifor d'ropping'corn and other smooth seed.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondingparts. A 1

My'invention has for its object to furnish an fim- 1 proved planter which shall he simple in construction and effective in operation, and which may be readily adjusted for planting the linty seeds of short stapleA cotton, ori'or planting black cotton-seed, corn, peas, or othersmooth seeds; and

Itconsists in the construction and combination of the'uvarious parts of the machine, ashereinafter more fully described.

A is the'beam, to the draft is attached.

B is the draft-iron, which is attached to the forward end of the beam somewhat in themanner of an ordinary clevis, and the fron-t or vertical bar of which extends above-and below the beam, and has a number of holes formed in it for the attachment ofthe clevis,

forward'end of which the so thatpthe-depth at wgiich the seeds are planted in the ground maybe regu ated by adjusting the point of draft attachment.

-and draw them out of the hopper F and drop them into the spout G, by which they are conducted-to the ground.

H is a knife or-plate, the forward edge'ot` which is beveled oi upon its lower side, and which -is secured to the frame C by screws or bolts which pass through ,slots in the said knife or plate H, and into orthrough the said frame C, so that the said knife or plate may be `moved closer to or further from the dropping-'cyliuder E, accordingly as it is desired to have more or less seed pass out at a time.`

"D, in such a position as to sera and to the under side of said frame O, at the rear` side of the said cylinder E, is *attached a stationary brush, I, to clean the spikes or teeth of said-cylinder from any lint that might adhere, to them'and impede. their operation.

J is the cutter or knife that splits the soil and opens the way for the boat-shaped shoe K, `which presses back the soil and forms a V-shaped furrow to receive the seed, leaving the sides of said furrow smooth, so that the seed will slide down to the bottom ofthe furrow;

The forward part of the cutter or knife J is curved upward in the manner of asleigh-runner, and itsedge is made sharp, so that-it maybe readily forced through .the ground and may cut ot roots or-other obstructions that may be in its way.

YThe standard L of the cutter or knife J is secured to the beam A, and the draft-strain upon it is sustained by the 'brace-rod M, the lower end of which is [secured to the forward part of the cutter or knife J,

and the upper end of which is secured to the beam A, as shown in-ig. 1.

As the seed drops into the ground it is covered by -the coverers N, which areso formed as to move the soil forward and inward. filling up the furrow.

The coverers N are formed upon or attached to the rear ends of the rods 0, the forward ends of which are rigidly attached to the short shaft I, which revolves in bearings attached to the under side of the forward part of the frame O'. By this construction and arrangement the coverers will be held down by their own weight, their peculiar form causing them to take hold of the soil as the machine is drawn forward.

The soil is pressed down upon the seed by the groundfroller Q, the journals of which revolve in bearings attached to the arias or bars S, the forward'ends of Iwhich are attached to the sides ofthe frame O, and to the rear ends of which is vattached a plate or bar, pe' off any soil that may adhere to the roller Q.

F is the hopper, which is securely'hut detachably att-ached to the frame C, and the ,bottom of which has an opening formed through it, into which the upper side of the spiked or toothed cylinder E projects, so that the said spikes orgteeth may take holdl of the cotton-seeds and ldraw them out of thesaid hopper.

rlhe cotton-seed in the lower part of the hopper E is kept stirred up so that it may pass'down freely' and constantly to the toothed cylinder E by the curved or arched stirrer V, to the frontand rear cross-bars' of which are attached curved or hooked teeth or ngers 1:1-, and to the central cross-bars of'which are attached straight lingers or teeth'e-i, so that, by the movement of the s tirrer, the seed may be stirred, and, at the Sametime, fed or drawn down toward the droppingcylinder E.

To the rear end of the stirrer or rake V is pivoted the forward end of: a short connecting-rod, W, which passes out through the rear end of the hopper F, and has a hook'formed upon its rear'end, which hooks into` an eye' formed in the end of the upright arm X, rigidly attached to and formed solidly upon the shaft Y, which revolves iu bearings attached to the handles D, bars S, or frame G, as may be most convenient.

To one eifd ofthe shaft Y is rigidly attached or upon it is formed an arm Z, about at right angles with the arm X, and to the outer end of which is adjustably pivot-ed the upper end of the connecting-bar A', so that the stroke of the stirrer V may be lengthened or shortened as may be required.

The lower end of the connecting-bar A' is pvoted to the crank B', attached to the projecting end ofl one of the Yjournals of the ground-rller Q, so that the stirrer V may be operated by fthe advance of the machine.

lo the projecting end of one of the journals of the dropping-cylinder E is attached a pulley, C', around which passes a band, D', which also passes around a pulley, E', attached to the projecting ends of one of the journals oi the ground-roller Q, so thatA the dropping-cylinder E may be operated by the advance of the machine.

The rapidity of the feedis regulated by Varying -the size ot' the pulley C', a larger pulley C' giving a slower and a smaller pulleya faster `feed.

F'is an idler, which is pivoted to a support` attachedv to or formed upon the lever G', thelower end ot' which is pivoted to the frame C or bar S, andwhi'clr extends up along the handle D into such a position that it lmay beconveniently reached and operated by the dri- Ver, so that, by pressing the idler F' down upon the belt D', the'advance oi' the machine may revolve the dropping-cylinder, and, by raising the idler from the belt D', said belt will be slackened so as not to revolve the said dropping-cylinder. l

The lever G' is held in place, when pressing the idler li" down upon the belt D' by a catch attached to the handle D. By this construction, by raising the. idler F' and disconnecting the stirrer V from the rockshaft Y, the machine. may be taken from place to place, even when the hopper is full of seed, without dropping any of the said seed.

To adjust the machine for planting coru,peas, black cotton-seed, and other smooth seeds, the 'stirrer V and hopper'F are removed, the tootlied cylinder replaced /with the recessed cylinder H', the plate or knife H is' replaced bythe brush I, and the hopper again placed in position.

The cylinderH' is formedwith recesses upon its opposite sides, into which are fitted small'cups, J', which are secured in place by small screws passing through holes in the bottom of said cups and screwing intothe cylinder H.

The amount of seed droppedat a time is regulated by usingcups J' with larger or smaller cavities, and

the distance apart of the hills" may bc regulated by Varying the size of the pulleys C attached to the journal of the dropping-cylinder H', or by inserting a blank, K', iuone of the recesses of the cylinder H'.

' Vheu the machine is used for planting smooth seeds, inclined end-boards-L' are inserted in the hopper F, with their upper ends resting against the up'- per parts of the end boards of' the said hopper.

The lower end of the rear board L' is so formed as to enter the opening inthe bottom of the hopper, and t sufficiently close to the dropping-cylinder H' to prevent the escape ot the seed'.v

The lower, edge of the forward board L' rests upon the bottom of the hopper, closeto the opening through said bottom, allowiug'thc seed to come freely iut-o coutact with thc cylinder H', the detachable brush I' preventing any more seed being carried out by said cylinder than enough to lill the cups 'J'.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure byv Letters Patent---A 1'. The cutter J and shoe K, combined and arranged with the dropping device,- as shown vaud de'scribed. y

42. The rake or stirrer'V, in combination with the hopper F and spiked or toothed dropping-cylinder E, and connected with the ground-roller Q by the ccnnecting-rod W, two-armed shaft -X Y Z, connectingrod A', and crank B', substantially as` herein shown and described, andi'or the purpose set forth.

-3. The pivoted coverers N O l?, constructed, arranged, and operating in connection with the furrowopener .I K, roller Q, and seed-dropping device of a planter, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4L The combination of the roller l1" and lever G withYY the belt D' and pulleys G' E', attached to the ground-roller Q, and the dropping-cylinder of a plauter, substantially as herein'shown and described, and for the plurposeset forth.

5. The combination ofthe adjustable plate H with the spiked or toothed cylinder E, frame 0and bottomof the hopper F, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

6i The stationary brush I, secured to the frame C in the rear of the toothed or spiked cylinder E, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth. l.

7, The combination-of the beam A, draft-iron B, frame C, handles' D, bars S, hopper F, toothed cylinder E,'pulley C', belt D', pulley E', grooved roller Q,

crank B', connecting-rod A', two-armed shaft X Y Z,

connecting-rod \V, rake` or stirrer V, adjustable plate H, and stationary brush I, conductor-spout G, furrow- `opeuer J K, and pivote'd coverer N O P, with eachv other, substantially as herein shown and described,` and for the purpose set forth.

ISAAC A. TOWERS.`

Witnesses:

It F. Jones, E pwn. OWENS. 

